Official statistics reveal police have Tasered 80 animals in three years

Figures show that Police have shot almost 80 animals with Taser stun-guns since 2010 and this includes 75 dogs, a cow on the loose and a run away ram that were too difficult to contain. Most dogs that had been shot were said to be pit-bulls or mastiffs.

Police would use tasers, which have a 50,000 volt charge behind them, to protect the public against aggressive animals.

In such incidents dogs are deemed a danger to the public and when police arrive the dog is aggressive to them too. At this point they fire the taser. This happened when the Metropolitan Police responsded to a call of a Staffordshire Terrier after it attacked a man in public gardens. The report said that 'Upon arrival male seen covered in blood lying on ground with a dog biting his arms and legs. Officer discharged Taser to prevent any further injuries.'

There are also reports of police responding to an incident on the M6 motorway with them firing at a lurcher that was causing traffic to swerve. It clearly therefore posed an obvious risk to human life.

In the report Nottingham police had shot 6 animals including a dangerous pit bull that was in a public park with a children’s play area.

Animal charities critised the move and accused officers of ‘undue violence’ and that reaching for a taser as a first reaction was precisely the wrong approach.

Andrew Tyler, speaking on behalf of Animal Aid said that 'Animals in these circumstances can be utterly panicked and the reaction shouldn't be violence.'

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